Maria Montessori raised heights as an influential physician and pedagogue. From her observations of children, the vast range of materials and her principles, she has influenced the way our early childhood educational programs are structured today.
Maria Montessori was born on August 31st 1870 in Chiaraville, Italy. Montessori was determined to become a doctor despite her parents encouraging her to become a teacher, which was one of the only careers available for women at that time. She went to the University of Rome where she studied physics, maths and natural science. (A Biography of Dr Maria Montessori, n.d.) After completing these studies Montessori then enrolled into medical school and on 10th July 1896 she became the first women to qualify as a doctor in Italy. This title made Montessori known across the country.
Montessori began working as a surgical assistance at the Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome working mostly with the underprivileged and in particular children, which she diagnosed and treated for illnesses. Montessori joined a research program at a psychiatric clinic and as part of her work she visited insane asylums to select child patients for treatment. She thoroughly observed the children to establish their needs, which led to her interest in young children, their needs and development (A Biography of Maria Montessori, n.d.). It was from these observations with the children that Montessori began to create her theories and methods.
In 1907 Montessori opened her first children’s house (Casa Dei Bambini) where she put many of her theories and activities to practice. From her observations of the children in the insane asylums, Montessori concluded that the environments and methods provided by the adults were the probl...
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...s and are continually being used today. They have built the foundation of education in these settings and will only continue to be used and bettered in future years.
Reference List
A Biography of Maria Montessori (n.d). Retrieved 20/04/2014 from: http://montessori.org.au/montessori/biography.htm
Grazzini, C. (2004). Four planes of development. The NAMTRA Journal 29(1), 31-33.
Gutek, G, L. (2004). The Montessori Method: The origins of an educational innovation. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, inc.
Follari, L. (2011). Foundations and best practices in early childhood: History, theories and approaches to learning (2nd ed.). Boston: Prentice Hall.
Mooney, C. (2000). Theories of childhood: An introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Piaget and Vygotsky. St Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.
Standing, E, M. (1957). Maria Montessori: her life and work. Fresno: Hollis & Carter Limited.
The Child Development Center of College of San Mateo provides early care and educational programs for children between the ages of 3 to 5 years old. Children are divided into classrooms with a “master” teacher, a “regular” teacher, and two or three “associate” teachers. Klara attended Classroom, “A,” a stimulating and well-resourced classroom. Klara was observed for two hours on Monday from 9 am to 11 am and for two hours on Wednesday from 9 am to 11 am. During these two hours, classroom activities consisted of “free time,” “story time,” and an outside “play time.” A “master” teacher, a “regular” teacher, and two “associate” teachers were present during observations. Additionally, a total of eighteen children were in attendance during the observed days.
Haskins, C. (2011). The gift of silence. Montessori Life: A Publication of the American Montessori Society, 23(2), 34-39.
Early childhood education, although constantly evolving, was actually established and practiced as early on as the times of Ancient Greece and Rome. The foundation that early childhood education is based upon is to instill in children the skills needed to succeed later on in life, while making sure young children enjoy their time in schooling. Throughout chapter 3 in the textbook Who Am I in the Lives of Children, the reader is capable of evaluating just how greatly the methods for teaching today’s youth have evolved and changed for the better.
Origin from a city in the north of Italy, the Reggio Emilia approach in Early Childhood Education is adopted by multi-countries over the past decades. This approach has a core philosophy, that children should play a leading role in education. Children are seen as full of knowledge and intelligence, with full capabilities to express themselves if only given the proper ways to do to so. They are protagonists of their own learning and have a say in what topics and problems they will study and research. Teachers provide resources to assistant children’s learning and developing. The curriculum is emergent, meaning the teachers choose topics and projects based on careful listening and observations of their student’s interests, needs and inquiries. Children are encouraged to use materials and media to demonstrate their learning and understanding of a topic or project. Documentations and environment have direct influences in helping children’s learning. Parents and community also play a supportive role in children education (O.E.C.D, 2004).
The Montessori Method is a dialogue between observation and action (Montessori, Hunt, & Valsiner, 2014). The Montessori classroom contains self-teaching materials that helps to aid self-development of children from three to six years of age (Mieziti, 1971). According to the Montessori Education (2015) a Montessori class is composed of students whose ages typically span 3 years. It is common to see students of different ages working together (Montessori Education, 2015). The older kids usually mentor the younger children by teaching them task and the rules. A hallmark of Montessori education is its hands-on approach to learning. (Montessori Education, 2015)
This is where Piaget, Vygotsky and Montessori come in to illustrate to us, the need for children to express themselves to facilitate growth and development as was intended by nature. While Maria Montessori
The Waldorf Approach Preschool is a highly debated area of a child’s educational journey. One of the primary goals of preschool is to prep the child for traditional elementary school. There are various contemporary models of early education that have been constructed to help children develop their educational career. A few examples of these models are the Bank Street Approach, The Reggio Emilia Approach, The Montessori Approach, and the Head Start Program just to name a few. The Waldorf approach is the program of discussion in this particular paper.
Maria Montessori was born in 1870 in the town of Chiaravalle, Italy. Her dream was to become an engineer but luckily for us she ended up being the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome La Sapienza Medical School, becoming the first female doctor in Italy. Montessori became intrigued with trying to educate the “special needs” or “unhappy little ones” [Michael Olaf’s Essential Montessori: School Edition for ages 3-12+] Dr. Maria Montessori was a great child theorist.
Maria Montessori was born in Italy in 1870 and influenced childcare massively in the 20th century. Montessori believed that children learn best through using their hands. She felt that one of the main factors that contributed to the child’s development was the ‘prepared’ environment. Children learn through exploration and the adult’s role is to create an environment where they can do
Morrison, G. S. (1976). Chapter 6: Early Childhood Programs APPLYING THEORIES TO PRACTICE. In Early childhood education today (10th ed., pp. 5-31). Columbus, Ohio: Merrill.
The Montessori Method has been and is very popular around the world with early childhood practitioners and parents. The Montessori approach is designed to support the natural development of children in a well-prepared environment. Some of the principles and philosophy are respect for the child, sensitive periods, the prepared environment, absorbent mind, and observations. (hardy, 2013) (Notes, 2013)
Dever, M. & Falconer, R. (2008). Foundations and Change In Early Childhood Education. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (p. 3-4, 12). 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ
Maria Montessori was the founder of the Montessori educational method. Maria Montessori graduated from the University of Rome Medical School and was working with “mentally deficient” children (Scotty, 2009). She always had a great aspiration to help children. The Montessori methods came about from her observations while working at the Casa dei Bambini (a daycare center in Rome). She saw how children learn naturally by things around them. Maria Montessori believed that children learned best by doing things individually and teaching themselves (Lewis, 1992). In Montessori schools children learn to deal with real life problems and how to overcome life’s obstacles. The teachers provide the children with freedom and independence.
Innovations designed to improve student achievement must be technically sound. Leaders must look at how Montessori works. Is Montessori successful at other charter schools? How was the curriculum implemented at other charter schools? The curriculum development team needs to observe other Montessori schools and research their data to make sure the curriculum w...
such a manner that its curriculum framework is open to interpretation enough to be adapted to most if not all child-centered early years educational approaches. Montessori has a structured curriculum, which while not as flexible as High/Scope can still adapt to Aistear’s framework into their own set curriculum using already established Montessori exercises. In addition, Montessori and High/scope both share an emphasis on the importance of the prepared environment for the children, which is in accordance of Síolta, without which the Aistear framework cannot be successfully undertaken. Works Cited Perspectives On The Relationship Between Education and Care In Ireland (2007)Nóirín Hayes (M. Beaver et al Babies and Young Children Diploma in Childcare, 2001) Noirin Hayes Early Childhood